The State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) on Thursday directed the director general police to file the status report in the case of the disappearance in army custody of a man, Manzoor Ahmad Khan, in August.

The commission also sought a report from the director SKIMS about the medical condition of Nasrulla Khan, brother of Manzoor, whose kidney had been damaged after being beaten mercilessly by the army.

The DGP has submitted a report before the commission stating: “A special Investigation Team headed by additional superintendent of police Kupwara has been constituted to conduct investigation into the matter.”

But the chairperson SHRC asked the DGP to file the status report of the investigation. The commission was hearing a petition filed by rights activist Ahsan Untoo.

On 31 August this year, the disappearance of Manzoor in army custody and ruthless beating of Nasrulla in Kakarpati, Devsar area of Kupwara district triggered protests.

Both civilians are relatives of law minister Abdul Haq Khan.

Nasrulla suffered kidney failure and had been put on dialysis at SKIMS but Manzoor, who was detained by 27 battalion of army’s counterinsurgency force Rashtriya Rifle, is still missing.

According to local residents, the soldiers had detained three civilians and accused them of providing shelter to militants.

Of the three, Nasrulla and Jalal-ud-Din had been released. Army had denied having any information about Manzoor.

The chairperson of the SHRC, while hearing the petition, said, “Director SKIMS had been directed to file a detailed report about the medical history of Nasrulla Khan but he didn’t respond.”

“Now, the director has again been directed to furnish the report about Nasrulla by the next date of hearing, which is 9 February 2018.”